GALION—At the December 14th meeting of the Galion Port Authority, Executive Director Mark Rantala unveiled the “FIND A HOME IN GALION CAMPAIGN” to the Port Authority Board.
The campaign is a “Guide to Housing Development Opportunities in Galion, Ohio”. The development package was the result of the “City-Wide Housing Needs Assessment” prepared by Danter and Associates in May 2019.
The 300+ page report documents the deficiencies in the for-sale and rental housing markets. It suggests the need for all categories of market-rate multi-family rental housing, affordable multi-family (tax credit housing) rental housing, independent living rental senior housing, assisted-living rental housing for seniors, memory care housing for seniors, for-sale single-family housing, and for-sale multi-family housing.
The development guide was designed to introduce Galion to potential housing developers within Ohio who might recognize the opportunities of the market when provided a detailed presentation.
The campaign includes highlights of the Danter Study, a number of potential sites ready for development, detailed information about the Community Reinvestment Areas, available incentives and tax abatement as well as zoning and demographic information.
The report which will be sent to developers within an hour of Galion as an introduction to the demand and the market potential. Executive Director Rantala will then assist interested developers in exploring these sites.
Housing is one of the many areas that Port Authorities are authorized to facilitate under the Ohio Revised Code that created Port Authorities. The campaign was created with input from several Galion area realtors and the City Administration.
“If all goes well, we should have at least 50 new housing units or more within 5 years,” said Executive Director Rantala. Developers with an interest in exploring these sites or receiving a copy of the report should contact Mark Rantala at director@galionport.org.